GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to recognize Hispanic Americans and their contributions made in America.
There are many ways to learn and celebrate the culture.
One place is the Greensboro Children's Museum, they have a host of interactive and hands-on programs from arts and crafts to nuggets of history on Hispanic lineage.
Monday, the museum's programs returned for the first time since the pandemic.
With one activity, they're getting scissors happy to teach kids about the Latino heritage through Mexican folk art.
Museum development director Joe Rieke said they used the art studio to make papel picado banners.
“We're using brightly colored paper and stringing it together to make banners,” Rieke said. “It’s used in a lot of celebrations throughout Mexico lots of holidays, birthdays quinceanera’s that kind of thing.”
Each design completed is draped throughout the children's museum to pay homage to the Mexican tradition all month long.
“We want to make sure there is some representation of culture that may not be their own and also that they are allowed to celebrate culture that may be their own as well so they can look at the kid next to them and say hey this is a little bit of me and they'll say oh I love that part of you,” Rieke said.
Kid's will hear stories about how Hispanic lineage has helped shape U.S.culture.
“We’re reading a book during our story sparks time called the pot that Juan built,” Rieke said. “ It focuses on a Mexican artist who was able to create a worldwide following from traditional potter techniques that he taught himself as a young boy.”
After the storytime students made their own posts using the designs from the book.
The regulars at the museum enjoyed the month-long fiesta.
“Having something else to do other than just run around the exhibits doing an activity doing some actual learning is very well received by parents,” Rieke said.
Hispanic Heritage month activities wrap up on Oct. 15. the traditional ending of the celebration.
Until then museum programs will run during the week at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Weekend times vary details here.